Dear readers of my blog: As most of you know, after many, many years of running this feature, today is my very last Friend Friday. Don’t worry — I haven’t stopped shining the spotlight on fellow book creators and their work. I’m just doing it in a different form, over on Instagram, every Thursday at… Read more »
I so appreciate Margo Sorenson’s insights below, about the need to take a story from “oatmeal” to something special and unique. She does it through aloha spirit and puns, resulting in a charming picture book, Little Calabash, illustrated by Anneth Lagamo, about overcoming obstacles. And if you want to hear more about Margo’s work, see… Read more »
While I do not have an origami box for moving multiple minuscule creatures, I am famous for not killing spiders. “What if it’s Charlotte?” I always ask. It is clear that we humans have a great impact on the natural world which is why I so appreciate Curtis Manley’s latest book, The Rescuer of Tiny… Read more »
I always enjoy hearing the story behind the story and Vicki Conrad’s story behind her newest picture book biography is full of twists and turns, not unlike the swampy Everglades themselves. A Voice for the Everglades: Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Albert Whitman and Company) led Vicki on a several year “scavenger hunt” (to borrow her phrase)… Read more »
Today’s guest is my first ever international friend! Paddy Donnelly lives and works in Belgium though his Irish roots certainly inform his work. And his newest book– a debut as a writer/illustrator — is based on a lake nearby where he grew up. I am especially drawn to Paddy’s The Vanishing Lake (Yeehoo Press) because… Read more »
As much as I love celebrating my friends’ work for Friend Friday, it is an especial delight to celebrate a debut book. And it is a delight to be reminded that authors (and other artists) have a superpower that goes beyond a way with words, as Colleen Paeff does in her essay below. Her debut… Read more »
As someone who also does a daunting amount of research for my books, I completely relate to Rob Sanders’ experiences, shared below. Not only do we writers need to answer the question of why a certain story matters, we have to figure out how it matters to our young readers. I love the way Rob… Read more »
On her website, Beth Anderson describes writing as mining — “digging deep for memories, emotion, and meaning.” Her essay below about creating her latest picture book feels like a miner’s headlamp, illuminating the path to rich story-telling. If you want to learn more about Beth and her newest book, Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle: Pandemonium and… Read more »
What a way to kick off a new month: a joint Friend Friday post from two gifted creatives, Liz Garton Scanlon and Kevan Atteberry. Liz reminds us that the creative work we do depends on play and Kevan reminds us that our play can have its ups and downs. If you want to hear even… Read more »
One of my passions is to tell little-known stories of the past; clearly Shari Becker and Louisa Jaggar share that passion. They went to incredible lengths to tell the story of determined flyer James Banning and now we are the beneficiaries of their hard work. It’s a pleasure and honor to host them today in… Read more »